Opposites attract
by Lovely Clarice
Summary: life after Chesapeake at the end of the Hannibal movie and after Chesapeake.Finished!
1. Chapter 1

1 Author's note: I'm not from English origin, so please don't watch the sentence structure and stuff like that to much, thanks! Hope you like it, enjoy and please review!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: The characters here in are the property of Thomas Harris. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
2 Opposites attract  
  
2.1 Timeline: life after Chesapeake at the end of the Hannibal movie and after Chesapeake  
  
Part 1  
  
During the kiss he heard the metal click of the handcuffs and opened his eyes to look at her while he broke the kiss. He saw a tear roll down Clarice's cheek.  
  
He raised his left arm, her right trailing it connected by the links of the handcuffs "Now this is really interesting Clarice. But I'm really pressed for time, where are the keys?"  
  
She didn't answer. He grabbed her arm and snapped "where is the key?"  
  
She looked him straight in the eyes and still refused to answer.  
  
He looked around the kitchen and spotted the meat cleaver.  
  
"Okay" he said and picked the cleaver up and grabbed her right hand and held it down on the table under his left hand and held the cleaver at Clarice's cuffed wrist.   
  
"Above or below the wrist?" he asked. She stared emotionless at him and still remained silent.  
  
He raised the cleaver and locked eyes with her ones again. "Now this is really going to hurt." he said to her. Her eyes opened wide at the understanding of what he was going to do. She wanted to stop him, but was to late as he slammed the cleaver down.  
  
She screamed and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the feeling of pain. After a few moments she realised she wasn't in pain. She didn't understand, she had heard the slam of the cleaver.she opened her eyes and saw the cleaver stuck in the table with the link of the handcuffs, he had chopped through the link. Then she scanned the kitchen to see him standing in the doorway. "You didn't really think I would cut of your hand now did you Clarice? Tsk, tsk I thought you would know by now that I can't and won't harm you in any way. Think about why I can't Clarice and try to answer the same question for yourself, because we both know you can't harm me either and that deep with in yourself you know you don't want to lock me up in a prison cell again. Think about it and be honest to yourself Clarice! Bye." And he was gone.  
  
She was so confused. As she looked around, the kitchen began to spin and she felt weak again, the morphine kicked in again, her legs could barely hold her up. Then she heard the police cars arrive at the house and men entering the house. She wanted to call them, but she couldn't find her voice. After a few moments the stormed in the kitchen and saw Krendler.  
  
One of the agents called immediately an ambulance but another soon found out that Krendler was already dead. Then he freed Clarice from the refrigerator. As soon as she was free, she collapsed and he could catch her just in time. "Wait" he said to the other who was calling the ambulance back that they could send a hearse instead of an ambulance.  
  
"Let the ambulance come as well as the hearse because I think there's something wrong with her." The Ambulance and hearse arrived shortly after that. They took Clarice into the ambulance and examined her. In the ambulance Clarice regained conscious. They asked her questions and decided that they would take her to the hospital for further examination, because she was weak and her reaction rate wasn't normal. They also had seen her shoulder wound and didn't know how much blood she had lost with that, she had the signs of anaemia.  
  
At the hospital they checked her blood and found out that she was drugged and had a serious anaemia, just as the ambulance crew thought. They admitted her and gave her an I.V for the anaemia. Meanwhile Clarice's best friend Ardelia was watching the news when the story came on. (After the academy Clarice and Ardelia went they're own way.  
  
They worked in different departments and didn't share an apartment anymore, but they stayed very close friends. Ardelia was married and had a 3 year old child.)  
  
"Hannibal Lecter has brutally killed Paul Krendler and has held Special Agent Starling captive and heavily drugged in Mr Krendler's summer house on the Chesapeake bay. The F.B.I found Special Agent Starling in the house, Dr Lecter was already gone. Special Agent Starling is taken to the hospital. We don't know how her condition is, but it is to believe she will be hospitalised for the night." The news went on, but Ardelia didn't hear any of it anymore. She was very concerned for her best friend and called the bureau to see in which hospital she was admitted. After she had found out, she wanted to drive to the hospital when the telephone rang. It was a nurse from the hospital to inform that Clarice was going to be fine after the medicine for her anaemia would kick in and that she was asleep now and that they would keep her informed. Clarice had asked her to call Ardelia. So she decided to stay at home and she would visit Clarice the next day. The next day Clarice was better and could leave the hospital, she could treat the rest of the anaemia with pills. Ardelia visited her that day at home, but she wasn't in the mood for visitors so didn't stay very long. She was so confused about everything that had happened at the Chesapeake that previous night. Doctor Lecter had confessed he loved her and she felt things she hadn't allowed herself to feel for the past ten years, she couldn't possibly love him back, she was a F.B.I agent and he was a serial killer, but she did feel the same way. He had made her confess those feelings to herself that night, she couldn't deny it anymore, because she knew he knew. Damn him for making her so weak and making her feel those feelings for him, but she couldn't blame him even if she wanted to, he had always been there for her, after her father died nobody had ever done that for her, not even Ardelia. He always knew the right things to say at moments she needed, yes she loved him, not as a father figure but as a man, a lover.  
  
And now he had left her again, she was alone, she felt empty.  
  
The days passed by slowly, the F.B.I had taken her back after they had found out that Krendler and Verger had written the so called Lecter postcard and that she didn't had anything to do with Krendler's death. But everything was different, changed after that night. They took her back but she only was allowed to do the paperwork the first months, she had to prove herself all over again, as if she was some rookie. But she didn't care anymore, she hated the job anyway, she had believed her place was there, but in reality it wasn't, she had always worked her butt of for them and what did they do for her? Nothing, absolutely nothing. She cursed herself for not realising earlier, Doctor Lecter was so right when he told her that at the Union Station.  
  
And she just now realised it. But now it didn't matter anymore, because she was alone, had nothing, accept that lousy job. 33 years old and no husband, no children, no life. Doctor Lecter probably was far away and wouldn't want anything to do with her anymore after what she had done to him, he must hate her by now. So she focused on that lousy job it was the only thing to do, if she could only contact Doctor Lecter to tell him he was right about everything and that she loved him back. 


	2. Chapter 2

1 Part 2  
  
Six months later she had her old job almost back . She was on a new case, a kidnapping. A young girl of ten years old was kidnapped and she had to save her. Just like old times she thought, only this time it isn't a daughter of a senator but of a millionaire. The kidnapper had asked for ransom, 10 million dollars and demanded she would deliver it. They didn't understand why he would ask for her, but they had asked Clarice and she had accept the case. They had made an appointment at an old warehouse were Clarice supposed to exchange the ransom for the girl and arrest the kidnapper. It was a risk, because she would be alone in the building, the back up  
  
( F.B.I agents) couldn't enter the building, the kidnapper had made that impossible. She entered the building to find the girl on a chair with a gun pointed at the back of her head where the kidnapper was in the dark. She was crying uncontrollably and the kidnapper demanded she would be quiet or he would kill her. "I've got the ransom you wanted" Clarice said lifting the briefcase with the money in it. "Let the girl go." "Well if it isn't Special Agent Starling." the kidnapper said. "I'm glad they have send you like I asked." He came into view, but Clarice still didn't recognised him. "You probably don't know who I am, but you did know my sister, you killed her remember!"  
  
It was Evelda Drumgo's brother. She was shocked. "You're Evelda's brother?"  
  
"Damn straight I am you bitch and you are going to pay for killing my sister!" He let go of the girl and she ran to Clarice. "Give me my ransom bitch or I will kill you both!" as he pointed the gun at them. Clarice handed him the briefcase. "The girl can go, but you stay." He said and Clarice instructed the girl to get out of the building, they were waiting for he outside. The girl ran off as Clarice got her attention back to Evelda's brother. He opened the briefcase, still gun pointed at her, but looked away for a second to check the money. Clarice quickly got her gun out of her holster, but not quick enough as he looked back and shot her in her left leg. She felt to the ground and her gun felt out of her grasp. He quickly got the gun. "Oh no you don't you bitch, you're going to pay for killing my sister. I'm going to let you suffer!"  
  
Damn, she was in big trouble now, no weapon to defend herself with. Evelda's brother walked to her and kicked her in the stomach. "This is for my sister bitch." He pulled her to her feet and slammed her in a wall. "Look at me while I will make you suffer!" and hit her in the face. Clarice kicked him in the balls with her right knee and slammed him into the wall. Then she tried to run of, but that's hard with a bullet in your leg. He recovered and got her easily. "You're not going anywhere until they have to carry you out of here in a body bag!" He screamed and knocked her on the head with one of the guns. At that she passed out, with a severe head- wound. Right at that moment the SWAT team entered the building and shot Evelda's brother in the head. An ambulance arrived quick at the scene to take Clarice to the hospital, her injuries were life threatening. At the hospital she immediately went in to surgery to remove the bullet and examine the other injuries. After the surgery they brought her to the intensive care, she had lost a lot of blood, luckily hadn't any internal bleedings in her abdomen. But they were worried about her head injury, they didn't know how bad it was, they wouldn't know until she would wake up, if she would wake up at all. They kept a close eye on her. Ardelia heard the news and quickly drove to the hospital, her husband stayed with their 3 year old son.  
  
Across the ocean, miles and miles away from the States to be exact in Paris, France a certain gentleman sat in a café drinking a cappuccino while he was reading the Washington Post.  
  
He almost dropped his cappuccino when he read an article about Clarice's accident.  
  
He sets the newspaper down on the table, a shocked expression on his face.  
  
It's one of the first times we see such a emotional expression on the face of Hannibal Lecter.  
  
He immediately books a flight to Washington D.C for that night, he has to know how she is doing, if she is going to be all right.  
  
After arriving in D.C, he immediately went to the hospital. Always a master in hiding he could easily go the floor where Clarice was. He took a doctor's coat and walked to Clarice's room.  
  
Unfortunately Ardelia was in the room, so he couldn't get in. He would wait and stick around, maybe she would leave the room or he could eavesdrop a little.  
  
He had been there for hours when Ardelia left the room to fresh up.  
  
He quickly went into the room. What he saw didn't please him at all, Clarice looked terrible.  
  
She had bruises everywhere on her face, bandage around her head and machines around her.  
  
What had they done to this woman, the woman he loved. He walked to the bed and tucked a few straws of hair behind her ear. Then he couldn't help it, he had the urge to kiss her. He softly kissed her on her forehead and smelled her hair, her skin cream and dried blood.  
  
Then he quickly stood straight again, he couldn't stay to long in the room, he had to be gone before Ardelia came back.  
  
"I will stay around Clarice, don't worry!" and with that he left the room.  
  
It took 3 days before Clarice woke up. Ardelia sat next to the bed when she suddenly opened her eyes. "Clarice, honey it's me Ardi." She quickly called the doctor. She left the room when they examined her. Doctor Lecter was still close to the room and saw the doctor and nurses go into her room. After the examination the doctor talked to Ardelia. "Everything looks fine, she hasn't got any brain damage just a concussion, but there is one problem. Miss Starling can't see." Ardelia was shocked. "But what do you mean, that she is blind?"  
  
"We don't know how bad it is, it can be temperately. We won't know until two weeks has passed, if miss Starling still can't see we can say for sure she is blind. We have explained everything to her. The good news is that she can go home with in two days, after her blood level is back to normal. Is there anyone who can take care of her during the coming two weeks?"  
  
"Yes, I will take care of her. She can even stay at my place if she would like."  
  
Doctor Lecter had heard the conversation and knew Clarice wouldn't want to stay at Ardelia's home, she would feel a burden. He hoped Ardelia wouldn't stay to long at Clarice's place so he could make his visit and take care of her. Knowing Clarice she wouldn't stay to long, she had a child to take care of and Clarice wouldn't want Ardelia to neglect her son. Brave Clarice, always thinking about the others he thought. 


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3  
  
Two days later her blood level was back to normal and she could leave the hospital. With bandage around her head and on her leg where the bullet wound was. The stitches needed to be removed a week later. Ardelia took her home, she didn't want to be a burden and stay at Ardelia's place. Ardelia tried to talk her out of it, but she was stubborn as always Ardelia thought. When they arrived at Clarice's place Ardelia stayed till it became night. She had made dinner and had filled up the refrigerator, so Clarice had food enough. She hated to leave her alone in this state, but Clarice was determined to stay at her home, alone. She had promised she would call if she needed anything, any time, day or night. Clarice had taken an shower and sat in her armchair in her jogging pants and a T-shirt taking a painkiller for her headache and pain in her leg. "Are you sure you're going to be all right Clare?" Ardelia asked one more time.  
  
Clarice sighed and answered her friend, "Yes Ardi, don't worry about me, go to your husband and son, they haven't seen you much past week."  
  
"Okay, but you will call me if there is anything wrong right?" "Yes I will, now go home." She said smiling. They hugged each other. "Give Danny a kiss from me will you and Ardi, thanks for everything, you're the best friend anyone could wish for!"  
  
"I will give him a kiss from his godmother, promise. Bye girlfriend!" "Bye Ardi."  
  
With that Ardelia left. Clarice sighed again, well her I am, blind and alone. No, she said to herself, we aren't going to think about that again. She lifted out of her chair and decided to put on some music so it wasn't deadly quiet in the house. She walked very slowly to the stereo and felt her way around so she didn't bump into furniture. She decided to just listen to what was in the stereo, because it would be hard to search for a nice CD when you can't see anything.  
  
So she grabbed the remote and walked back to her chair and pressed play. The music began to play, it was Enrique Iglesias with You're My number 1;  
  
I've kissed the moon a million times  
  
Danced with angels in powers above  
  
I've seen the world from the highest mountain  
  
Tasted love from the purest fountain  
  
I've seen lips that spark desire  
  
Felt the butterflies a hundred times  
  
I've even seen miracles  
  
I've felt the pain disappear  
  
But I still haven't seen anything  
  
That amazes me quite like you do  
  
You bring me up when I'm feeling down  
  
You touch me deep you touch you me right  
  
You do the things I've never done  
  
You make me wicked you make me wild  
  
'Cause baby, your my # 1  
  
I've sailed in a perfect dream  
  
I've seen the sun make love to the see  
  
I've kissed the moon a million times  
  
Danced with angels in the sky  
  
I've even seen miracles  
  
I've seen the tears disappear  
  
But still haven't seen anything  
  
That amazes me quite like you do  
  
Ugh, she groaned, I don't want to hear the rest of this song, it reminded her to much of him. So she quickly turned it off and changed the CD, thank god she had a 5 CD Changer. The song began, it was Anastacia with Freak of Nature, that was a good song. She sighed, finally relaxed and listened to the song. Because of the music she hadn't heard Doctor Lecter entering her house through the backdoor. He softly entered and heard the music, he walked past the laundry room and came to the living room where he saw her siting in the arm chair, eyes closed, humming with the song. He just stood there for a moment, looking at her, she looked better. Another picture for his memory place. After a few minutes he walked softly to the chair and grabbed the remote from the arm of the chair to turn the volume down. She immediately opened her eyes and came forward in the chair, she was scared he could see it.  
  
"Hello Clarice, I'm sorry that I scared you." He sat down on the couch next to the arm chair.  
  
"Doctor Lecter, what are you doing here?" she said in a surprised voice.  
  
"I heard about you're accident, so I came to see how you where doing, not to well I see."  
  
"I'm fine Doctor Lecter. So there's no need to worry about me. It isn't wise for you to be her, it's to dangerous, maybe it's better if you would leave." She said nervously. She could not handle this right know. I'm not in the mood for his games, she thought.  
  
Then she heard him chuckle. "Tsk, tsk, Clarice worried about me? Or are you already fed up with my company? You look nervous. And there is no need to lie to me about you're health, you must know by now that I hate lies."  
  
"Well sorry for reacting this way, but what do you expect of me, I'm blind and you sneaking up on me like you did."  
  
"Yes, I understand that I startled you, I already apologised for that, didn't I?" "Yes you did. Look I just got out of the hospital and have just taken painkillers, so I'm not in the mood for your games doctor."  
  
"Who said I will play any games Clarice?" She sighed heavily. He ignored it and went on with the conversation. "I saw your friend leaving, I can't understand why she would leave you in this state." "I told her to go home if you want to know, I can take care of myself and she has a family to be with."  
  
"Ah, noble Clarice, always thinking about other people instead of yourself."  
  
"Doctor Lecter, stop this please, just tell me what you want, I'm not in the mood for this."  
  
"Not in the mood for what Clarice? we are just having a conversation. And besides, I already told you why I'm here."  
  
She stood up out of the chair. "Yes, well you've seen how I'm doing so you can go now."  
  
As she started to walk to the end of the room to let him out, while she was walking she tripped and Doctor Lecter could just catch her in time before she would hit the ground.  
  
"Stop this Clarice, you can't even walk around in your own home without tripping over something." "So what would you like to do about it, stay here and take care of me."  
  
She said with a chuckle. It was a joke, but when he answered her he was deadly serious.  
  
"Yes Clarice, that was exactly what I had in mind." She couldn't believe what he said. After all she had done to him he wanted to take care of her? No, it must be one of his games.  
  
"Serious Doctor, why would you want to do that? After everything I did last time we saw each other."  
  
"I'm serious Clarice. And I think you know why I would want to do that Clarice."  
  
She was glad she couldn't look in his eyes, so she wouldn't have to look at his piercing gaze.  
  
God, she was so tired, the painkillers where kicking in and she became drowsy. He must have noticed it, because the next thing she knew was that she was lifted of her feet and was carried to her bedroom upstairs. She was to tired to argue with him and she knew if he wanted something he would get it, so there was no point to disagree. He laid her down on the bed.  
  
"Don't be so stubborn Clarice, you know you can't take care of yourself, let me help you."  
  
"So what are you saying, that you are going to stay with me for two weeks, because that's the time which it can take before I have my vision back, if it comes back."  
  
"Yes, that's what I'm saying, now get some sleep Clarice."  
  
He lifted the covers and tucked her beneath them. She felt weird sleeping with him in her house, but was so tired she dozed off after a few minutes. He watched her sleeping from a chair next to the bed. After some hours he himself became tired, it was already past midnight, so he decided  
  
to lay next to her on the bed, it was a double bed so enough room for the both of them.  
  
So he settled down next to her, listing to her steady breathing. After a few minutes he felt asleep.  
  
Clarice awoke an hour later and heard his breathing behind her, she froze, he was laying on the bed next to her. She turned to face him and felt his breath on her face, they where very close.  
  
Then suddenly he whispered to her. "Something wrong Clarice, are you in pain?"  
  
"No, I just woke up, that's all." She answered.  
  
"Where the lambs screaming?" "No, I don't know why I'm awake. Doctor Lecter?"  
  
"Yes Clarice." "I.I'm sorry for the way I reacted earlier, I just didn't expect you."  
  
"It's all right Clarice. Tell me, have you thought about me the past couple of months?  
  
And please be honest."  
  
She sighed "Yes I thought about you Doctor, a lot. I hadn't expect to see you ever again, I thought that you would hate me or at least be disappointed after that night on the Chesapeake."  
  
"Why would you think that Clarice, because you tried to bash me over the head with a  
  
candlestick and cuffed me? I wasn't, you just weren't ready to face the truth, your true feelings. You thought you were doing the right thing, your job, but when I saw a tear escaping your eye I knew you were having an inward battle with yourself, you didn't know what was right anymore, am I right?" "Yes as you always are." she said smiling.  
  
"So tell me, what do you feel now?" "Since the Chesapeake I have felt empty, alone, everything what you had said that day was so right, I never belonged with the bureau, I wanted to because of my father, I wanted him to be proud, to accomplish what he had wanted me to do. And I couldn't love you, I a F.B.I agent and you a serial killer, I just couldn't.but I did, I always have loved you." The last words came out as a harsh whisper, her breath was caught in her throat, she couldn't believe she had confessed all of that to him. Then she felt his hand at her cheek, caressing it. He knew how hard it was to confess it and respected her even more for it, his warrior.  
  
"Thank you Clarice." he said as he leaned forward and kissed her.  
  
Oh, how she had longed to feel that lips again, she moaned at the touch.  
  
At that he deepened his kiss and she threw her arms around his neck to pull him closer.  
  
They made love the rest of the night.  
  
Two weeks later Clarice didn't show up at the hospital for the check up, her vision had come back after ten days. When that had happened they decided to leave the country together, she was in London, with the man she loved.  
  
End.  
  
I can feel the magic floating in the air  
  
Being with you gets me that way  
  
I watch the sunlight dance across your face  
  
And I've never been this swept away  
  
All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze  
  
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms  
  
The whole world just fades away  
  
The only thing I hear is the beating of your heart  
  
Cause I can feel you breathe  
  
It's washing over me  
  
And suddenly I'm melting into you  
  
There's nothing left to prove  
  
Baby all we need is just to be  
  
Caught up in the touch  
  
Slow and steady rush  
  
Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be?  
  
I can feel you breathe  
  
Just breathe  
  
In a way I know my heart is waking up  
  
As all the walls come tumbling down  
  
Closer than I've ever felt before  
  
And I know, and you know  
  
There's no need for words right now  
  
Cause I can feel you breathe  
  
It's washing over me  
  
And suddenly I'm melting into you  
  
There's nothing left to prove  
  
Baby all we need is just to be  
  
Caught up in the touch  
  
Slow and steady rush  
  
Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be?  
  
I can feel you breathe  
  
Just breathe  
  
Caught up in the touch  
  
Slow and steady rush  
  
Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be?  
  
I can feel you breathe, just breathe  
  
I can feel the magic floating in the air  
  
Being with you gets me that way  
  
Faith Hill - Breathe. 


End file.
